January 31, 2026 - Emporia State baseball opened the offensive floodgates in their pair of wins on Saturday, as they combined to score 34 in 15 innings of play.

Game 1 (ESU 21, MINOT 5)
The day got started with the Beavers jumping on the Hornets early, as they scored four runs in the bottom of the first frame. In the top second, Emporia State got an RBI from both Sammy Padilla and Logan Myers to cut the deficit in half.
 
Following a scoreless third inning, the Hornets put together their own four-run frame which included two RBI from Evan Abbott and one each from Frankie Santiago and Noah Steele as Emporia State moved in front 6-4.
 
Emporia State would add another in the fifth, and the Beavers responded with one of their own in the sixth.
 
Minot State's biggest threat to the Emporia State lead came in the bottom of the seventh, as they loaded the bases with no outs. The Hornets brought in Jake Khasaempanth from the bullpen, and the junior from Riverside, Calif. delivered as he retired the side, which included two strikeouts to keep the lead at 7-5.
 
The Hornets were able to use the momentum and then some in the eighth, piling on 14 runs in the frame. Seven Hornets recorded an RBI in the frame and four had multiple, including three from Dylan Brisbois.
 
Matthew Postier closed out the game with a scoreless bottom of the eighth to seal a 21-5 win for the Hornets.
 
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Six different Hornets tallied multi-hit games, including three-hit performances by Evan Abbott, Noah Steele and Nathon Cruz. Abbott was one of six players with multiple RBI, as he drove in five of his own. Steele, Dylan Brisbois and Sammy Padilla all drove in three runs.
 
On the mound, Max Lialios picked up his first career win in his hometown, as he pitched 3.1 scoreless innings after entering in the first inning. The bullpen allowed just one unearned run in their 8.1 innings pitched.
 
Game 2 (ESU 13, ASU 0)
The game started slowly for both the Hornets and Grizzlies offensively, in large part due to the pitching from both starters. Through the first three innings, Adams State was held to just one hit, while being sat down on strikes five times by Colby Deaver, the Emporia State starter.
 
Deaver retired the Grizzlies in order in the fourth, and the floodgates opened for the Hornet hitters in the bottom half. The first three hitters reached before Dominic Felix was hit to push across the first run. Gus Keller followed up with a two-run single to make the score 3-0. Following the first out of the inning, Logan Myers added another on a double to left center. The final three runs in the frame came off the bat of Evan Abbott, who split the center fielder and right fielder in the gap and raced around for an inside-the-park home run, the first of his career.
 
Colby Deaver stayed in his groove after the long inning, as he struck out the side in the top of the fifth to bring the bats back up. The bottom half started with leadoff triple by Nathon Cruz, and after a walk and steal by Brady Unrein, Dominic Felix added to the scoring with a two-run single to make the score 9-0. Emporia State added three more in the inning, with two on a double by Sammy Padilla and another on a fielder's choice from Evan Abbott to extend the lead to 12-0.
 
Rico Merlo replaced Deaver in the sixth, capping his outing at five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. Merlo tossed a scoreless sixth which included a strikeout. Emporia State would add another run in the bottom half on sacrifice fly from Dominic Felix before Merlo returned to the mound in the seventh to seal the deal by retiring the Grizzlies in order, clinching the 13-0 win.
 
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Five Hornets tallied multiple hits, while Dominic Felix and Evan Abbott both drove in four runs. Three of the four for Abbott came on an inside-the-park homerun, the first of his career.
 
Colby Deaver struck out eight batters in five scoreless innings to pick up the win, and Rico Merlo shut down the Grizzlies in his 2.0 innings of relief.
 
UP NEXT
Emporia State's four-game slate in Tucson wraps up on Sunday, February 1 as they take on Minot State at 10:00 a.m. (MT).
 
NOTES
The Hornets's 21 runs in their first game on Sunday marks the second straight season with 20 or more runs in a game. It is also the most since the Hornets score 24 against Newman on April 3, 2021.